Career Building with Drone Technology
Amount Requested: $1,000.00 Number of Students Reached: 68 and many more in the future
The TGIF Selection Committee appreciated this teacher’s description of her unique project.
Type a brief description of your project.
I’m building curriculum around drone technology with the help of a state college. In fact, I spent a week taking classes and earning my Remote Pilot License this last summer so that I could act as the Remote Pilot, overseeing my students as they learn to use a drone for photography and videography and then learn to edit that footage into a marketable product. I have students in grades 7 - 12 that have participated in a Youth Entrepreneurship Contest in the past and done very well. Some of these students are already thinking of ways they can build a business around a camera drone’s capabilities. I expect many more will start to gravitate to the technology as they go through the curriculum. However, to make this happen, we need a camera drone with the necessary capabilities.
Why is this project needed for your school?
With the students and the classes I teach, one of the focuses is to explore different careers and to teach applicable skills that will help my students to pursue a college degree or a career in a specific field that interests them. The college I’m working with offers a certification in drone technology, as well as several different degrees that include drone engineering, drone applications, and drone repair. Drone technology is really a technology in its infancy. The development and application of drone technology will continue to grow and I’m preparing my students to innovate and become a part of this growth. Drones also tend to be a high interest area, so students that might otherwise struggle to figure out what they want after high school might be guided into a fulfilling, interesting career. In particular, introducing and training the girls in our school in drone technology seems to be especially important as very few girls consider entering this field.
What is the projected long-term effect of this project?
The long term effect of this project is wide ranging. Some students will fall in love with the technology and develop a healthy hobby. Other students will earn their Remote Pilot License and build a business based on the technology, and some might decide to major in drone technology, moving into Department of Defense pilot roles, developing more efficient drones and batteries, or developing new uses for drones. And while our initial drone will introduce and train 68 students, as we build the program over the next several years, we’ll work with and guide many more students than that as graduates leave and new students join the program.
Timeline of project implementation/completioN:
My students will start working on their entrepreneurship ideas this fall and use pre-recorded footage to learn to edit and create a final product. By January, 2024, we hope to have a drone that allows us to train on flying the drone while simultaneously recording footage. My students will build the concept into a full business plan complete with advertising pitches, a business cost analysis, and promotional materials by March, 2024. In the future we’ll continue to build the drone program by enrolling high school students in an introductory course with a state college. This college is currently working to make the introductory class available online, on demand, and are working to offer additional teacher training so that I can facilitate the introductory class locally by next year, while the rest of the coursework for the certification is already all online. The end goal is to develop students that wish to earn their Remote Pilot License and complete the 14 hour certification coursework while still in high school before moving into a full Drone Technology degree or building a successful business on drone technology after high school.
Project Budget:
DJI Mini 3 Pro (DJI RC), includes camera drone and remote control with video screen $909 + Extra battery pack $95 Total cost= $1,004.00
Roman Robot Chariot Challenge
Amount Requested: $1,000.00 Number of Students Reached: 250
Daniel's application was very well-written, detailed, and showed the impact it would have on students.
This group project focuses on Ancient Roman history and coding/programming. Students will design and create a small chariot that resembles one from Ancient Rome. After the creation of the chariot, students will program and code a cue robot to race around a track with the chariot attached. Students will need to use problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity to complete this project.
The long-term effects desired for my students, school, and district focus on increasing collaboration and communication. The project objectives include developing innovative thinking and fostering resilience within students. These objectives will be measured and evaluated through the use of qualitative data.
Timeline of project implementation/completion:
This project will be five days in length. Students will construct their chariots for two days, program and code for two days, and race in a competitive tournament with cue robots and chariots against their peers. This project will take place during the state assessment week as defined by my school.
Project BudgeT:
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